All Over Again
by LongLiveChuck
Summary: Reunited after a family fight in high school, Chuck Bartowski finds his old love and girlfriend Sarah Walker, as they run into each other 9 years later, each having moved on with a new partner. Charah Fluff with a little angst at the beginning.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Yes, I AM trying to break a record for most stories in progress, so kill me. I kid guys, but this old thing is taking up space on my computer, and I'm trying to get rid of it, so I figured I'd store/post it here. Please don't kill me if it sucks, it IS an older one. If you did like it, why not leave a review? Based on that, I'll determine what to do with this dinosaur of a story.**

**December, 1998: James Buchanan High School, San Diego, CA**

"Wow, Sarah, can you believe it?" Chuck grinned as he held his girlfriend's arm, the two strolling down the hall and out the main entrance, ditching their last few classes. "We'll be graduating in a few months! Stanford, here we come!" he grinned.

Sarah glanced at the tall, lanky, curly brown haired guy before her. Glancing into her eyes, she found those deep pools of chocolate she found solace in so many times.

"Chuck, Harvard's way better." She replied with a grin, moving her light brown hair out of her eyes. She was tall as well, or, "the perfect kissing height", as Chuck liked to call it.

"Yeah…..But not all of us get to choose from every school in the country." Chuck shot back jokingly, swinging their entwined arms.

Sarah rolled her eyes. "If you'd only put that brain of yours to something other than videogames, you might actually become something."

"Ouch, no love for the nerd who showed you Zork? Man, this relationship is going downhill fast." He quipped, as Sarah turned and leaned up, gently pecking him on the lips.

"Better?" she smiled, as the two continued their walk home, as they lived down the street from each other.

"Much. Have you found a prom dress yet?" Chuck asked, suddenly remembering how close by it was.

"Oh, god, no. Why can't we just ditch it and do something else? I don't want another session of ribbing from Heather Chandler about how I'm not her, and how I'm a dork, and all that great stuff. And if Dick Duffy says one more thing, I'm going to kick his dumb ass." Sarah finished with a huff.

"Hey, calm down…" Chuck gave her a comforting smile, as they passed their favorite tree in the park near school. "Firstly, Heather is stupid. She's not the one with twenty letters from colleges everywhere." He grinned, making Sarah smile back immediately.

"Furthermore, Dick's name implies how he'd behave, so what more do you expect?"

That earned him a giant grin as she spun around, kissing him lovingly as he responded in kind.

"I knew there's a reason why I picked you…" Sarah grinned, pulling away gently.

"What, my rugged good looks? Or my smooth talking skills?" he teased.

"Well, those are a given…" she laughed. "But, Chuck, you're honestly the greatest person I've ever met."

"Ditto, Sarah…." He grinned and gently kissed her cheek. Love was simply beautiful.

**-0-**

**Freeway, Southern CA: 2007**

"So, what happened to make you two fall apart?" Jill asked, watching her boyfriend carefully.

"Our parents, they did business, together. They invested in tons of property. Hell, together, they probably owned half the town."

Jill nodded, waiting for him to continue.

"But one day, My Dad's money was gone. The last person who might've handled it was Jack, Sarah's father. After that, things went south. Sarah's dad made her pull up roots, and they left, to DC I think. Sarah and I tried hard to stay in contact, but college just got in the way…..and we parted…" Chuck finished answering Jill's question about just who his first love was. "And that's the story of my famous Sarah Walker." He grinned.

"That's really sad, Chuck…." She smiled sympathetically, placing a hand on his cheek.

"Ah, but that's also where you came in, Ms. Roberts." He laughed. "And then…well, you've known me since."

"And we've gotten closer every day." She added with a smile, as the two made their way across the ocean side, going to stay in a small, getaway resort.

"Yes we have." Chuck smiled as he turned on the radio. "Wow, Backstreet boys…..talk about a blast from the past…" he laughed as Jill searched through the stations, trying to find something more from the current century.

"Hey, what do you know? We made good time." He grinned, pulling into the lot of the beautiful hotel.

Getting checked in was simple, and getting their luggage up was easy, since they both packed lightly. Flouncing onto the bed, Jill grinned over at Chuck, who was busy checking out the mini fridge.

"Don't drink anything!" Jill smiled. "Let's wait for tonight. We can go to the bar, grab some drinks, and dance a little…."

"Well, the brochure does boast an excellent club." Chuck smiled back, leaning over to give her a quick kiss on the lips.

"I'll get ready…."

"Alright…" Chuck smiled as he watched his girlfriend walk off to the bathroom. Humming a tune to himself, he stood; going to see which of the choices he brought would be an acceptable outfit for the night.

Chuck decided on Jeans and a nice, long sleeve button up. Fixing his curls to look slightly tamer, he looked far more handsome than expected. "Jill, ready?" he called gently, as his girlfriend stepped out of the bathroom.

"You look beautiful honey." He smiled as he saw her wearing a nice red dress, not too formal, with a matching shade of lipstick.

"Thanks, not bad yourself Chuck." She teased and gave him a peck on the cheek.

The two left the room, going down to the club.

**-0-**

Chuck really didn't like clubs all that much. They were tight, closed off spaces with lots of sweaty, dancing people, most of them tipsy or drunk. What was so great about that? They even played lame music. But since he'd been going steady with Jill, he'd made tons of sacrifices for her, and coming out to clubs was one of them.

After bumping into many people and apologizing, Chuck managed to get to the bar with Jill.

"I'm going to use the bathroom, I'll be right back. Order me something?" Jill asked with a cute smile and set off for the restroom.

"Uh, sure, yeah…" Chuck nodded, ordering two drinks.

Turning around to survey the club, he found himself getting bored quickly. Deciding he needed some fresh air, he set their drinks down, making a beeline for the door. Unfortunately, he missed a girl coming in with a drink in her hand. Colliding, he fell over, as the drink poured on his shirt. Toppling onto him was a blonde by the look of it.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" He immediately responded, as the blonde lifted her head to reveal a gorgeous, stunning, very familiar smile. Taking each other in for the first time, Chuck immediately recognized the beautiful blue pools and smile.

"Oh….my…Sarah?" He breathed.

"Chuck?" Came her equally astonished, smooth, and familiar voice.

This was going to be tough to explain.

**A/N: So, I know it's a little strange, but how'd you like it? This one will be slightly more angsty/stretched out then most of my other stories, but it is a Charah story, and it will be fluffy one day! :) So, leave a review if you enjoyed or want to see more! Thanks for reading, and as always, have a good one! **


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Whatever happened to me and my frequent updates, huh? Sorry guys, I got really busy really fast. Anyway, I decided to randomly update this one, as I really have no game plan when I write or update, and If I'm right, it usually works out for the best. If you'd like to beta this one, PM me ANYTIME. As for the previous chapter, thanks so much for all the kind words, feedback, and support! I do appreciate each and every helpful word, so I really mean it. Hopefully I won't let you guys down this time around, as it appears I'm treading on thin ice with this other love interest thing. ANGST WARNING. Ah well, here you are: **

**All Over Again: Chapter Two**

"Oh my god, Sarah….." Chuck repeated, rubbing his eyes. This HAD to be another one of his crazy, realistic, very vivid dreams. There she was in all her glory, much like high school, only…if it were possible…..better.

She had the same, beautiful spark in her eyes that flipped his world. She was blonde now, and oh, how her hair smelled of vanilla. She had certainly taken care of herself, and she'd gotten to look like a supermodel. Heather Chandler could kiss her ass.

Sarah glanced at Chuck, the same awed expression that he had on his face, mirroring his. She glanced him over, and immediately couldn't tear her eyes away. Glancing at his now far more toned body, she felt the once very familiar flush he always caused rise to her cheeks. He was definitely taking good care of himself.

Sarah immediately got off him, as he rose as well, both with an amazed, excited look. "Chuck…..oh god…..I'm so sorry!" Sarah spoke, with that new, smooth, angelic voice he had missed and dreamt about.

"No, I'm the same klutz I was back then…." He replied with a grin, finding it oh so easy to speak with her.

"Remember the time Where Ms. K-" Sarah stopped in mid speech, not realizing what she just blurted out. _'Oh god…..Nine years and I pull up a freshman reference? C'mon Walker!' _She thought, mentally scolding herself.

Chuck nodded with his beautiful, easy going smile. "Yeah, no need to remind me. I still have that mentally scarring my brain." He added with a laugh.

Sarah laughed instantly, a soft, gentle laugh that left Chuck wondering how he'd lived without it for so long.

"I just…I can't believe it's you….." he murmured.

Sarah suddenly felt a lump forming in her throat. She felt the back of her eyes begin to prick, when suddenly; she felt a hand on her shoulder. Jumping, she turned to see a tall man. He was built, with raven black hair and darker eyes. Chuck could see his muscular outline through his shirt.

Clearing her throat, Sarah glanced at him, then Chuck, then him again awkwardly.

"Want to introduce us, baby?" The man smirked, hand at the small of Sarah's back.

Chuck watched, eyes frozen. Sarah bit her lip. "Oh, ah…..of course. This….is Chuck…..Bartowski…remember, I told you about him?"

The man smiled and nodded. "How could I forget?" he replied smoothly. "You're all she ever talks about."

Chuck glanced at Sarah in amazement. She actually remembered him? That was amazing!

"And Chuck…..this is my fiancée…Daniel Shaw." She replied, pausing. Glancing into Chuck's eyes for the briefest moment, she saw all the happiness fall from his chocolate orbs. She felt as if her heart had been hammered into splints and pieces.

"Fi…..fiancée, huh? That's…..that's…..that's fantastic, Sarah…guys…." He managed to get out, dejection tearing him apart.

"Um, yeah, Chuck." Sarah replied, watching him almost apologetically. "Are you here with-"

"Hey sweetie." Jill smiled, kissing him on the cheek as she approached. "I was looking for you…." Jill turned to see the very beautiful couple he was facing. "Do you…..know these people, honey?"

"Oh! Ah…yeah, um, Jill…this is the famous Sarah Walker." He replied, watching the blonde goddess before him.

"Oh my god…." Jill grinned. "Chuck never stops talking about you!"

"Me? Really….?" Sarah asked, a ghost of a smile creeping on her face. He remembered her?

"-And this is her fiancée…..Daniel." he finished, although Jill was busy staring at him to hear the dejection in his voice.

"Look, Daniel…Sarah, do you want to get a drink at the restaurant with us?" Jill smiled, asking politely.

"Sounds great." Daniel nodded, glancing at Sarah, who was facing Chuck. "Mhmm….sounds fun…." She replied, eyes locked with Chuck's.

"Awesome." Jill smiled, grabbing Chuck's arm. "Let's go!"

**-0-**

Chuck sat beside Jill, across from Sarah. He shook his head, as he watched her. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he could hear Jill and Daniel's extremely animated conversation about business. All he could truly focus on was Sarah. Apparently, she felt the same way.

"What?" Sarah asked with a faint smile as she watched him shake his head at her.

"Nothing….it's just…you…..you look really great, Sarah…..but you always looked great, it's just that now-" he babbled just like he did nine years ago.

Sarah grinned. "Chuck…..you're babbling again….." it felt so right to say those words once again. It felt like she was where she finally needed to be after almost a decade of searching.

"Sorry….." he replied with a sheepish smile.

"Don't be…." Sarah replied amusedly.

"So….what's new…Harvard girl?" Chuck guessed.

"Yeah…..went to business school, and I met Daniel….." she shrugged, seeming unhappy to delve in to it anymore. "Now, I took my father's fortune he left for me, before he just…..disappeared." she finished, trying to bottle all the unhappiness.

Chuck nodded, feeling every bit of his heart break for her loss.

"And you?" She asked, hoping to change the somber tone the conversation was taking.

"Stanford…..engineering." he replied. "I tried to follow after my dad, but I just got a great offer by a tech company in Burbank…..how could I refuse….? "

"And Jill?" Sarah asked gently.

"I met her through an old friend of mine…..Bryce Larkin…..I wish I kept in contact with him too…" he sighed.

"Story of our lives, apparently." Sarah smiled, glancing at their two partners, who seemed to be fully engaged in their own conversation. "How long are you staying?"

"Two weeks, at the very least." Chuck replied. "I need this so badly."

"Agreed. We need to spend any free time here catching up…." Sarah smiled, revealing her pearly whites.

Chuck nodded whole heartedly, as he stifled a yawn. "Oh my god, it's getting a little late, huh?"

Jill heard, turning to the two old friends. "You guys go on ahead, I think we'll just finish up and meet you guys there." She replied, fully interested in Daniel's apparently successful business techniques.

"Huh? Oh…okay?" Chuck shrugged, rising. "Where's your room, Sarah? I'll walk you there…." He smiled, remembering how many times he'd escorted her home from James Buchanan High.

"That sounds so….familiar….." Sarah grinned as the two began up to Sarah's floor, turning the corner in the hall way.

"Listen, Sarah…" Chuck began. "I'm not really sure why our parents did what they did, and why we weren't able to keep touch…."

Sarah nodded, lightly leaning against the wall for much needed support. This was a lot to handle for one night.

"-but I really enjoyed talking to you again….and I'd hate to lose you again….." he finished solemnly. "So here's my number…..maybe we can catch breakfast tomorrow?"

"I'd love to, Chuck." Sarah took the spare business card he kept in his back pocket. Smiling the two glanced at each other, then at the floor, then ceiling.

"See you Sarah…" he spoke gently, as she closed the door, sliding back against it.

She'd found Chuck Bartowski. She was home.

**-0-**

Chuck stared at his cell phone, glancing at the clock at the very top. It was nine in the morning. He'd been up since seven, too excited to sleep any more at the prospect of seeing Sarah. He glanced over to his right, where Jill slept peacefully. He watched her carefully. He hadn't remembered her coming in, only feeling her slide into the sheets late at night; much later than he and Sarah retired to their rooms.

Just then, his Iphone vibrated, and the name: Unknown popped onto his screen in the familiar grey text bubble, followed by a number.

Opening up the text, he read it twice over. It read: Morning Chuck. Dan's asleep. Coffee in 15 mins?

Grinning, Chuck hurried to reply. Confirming, he leapt out of bed to change into some nice jeans and a shirt. He heard Jill mumble faintly.

"Chu….?" She asked incoherently.

"I'm gonna go get a quick breakfast with Sarah, babe. You can sleep in." he told her gently, planting a quick kiss on her forehead.

"Mmmmkay…." Came her gentle response. In seconds, she was off to sleep again.

"Be back soon…." He informed his sleeping girlfriend, and dashed out the door.

**-0-**

"Morning Sarah." Chuck grinned, taking a seat beside her at the small table outside by the ocean. "Wow…Its weird saying that….."

"It sounds weird…." She replied with a similar grin. "But good…."

"Do you know what time Daniel and Jill got in last night? I don't remember at all…." He asked, smiling as the waiter brought them some coffee.

"Oh god….." Sarah shook her head. "My guess would be…..I don't know….late…..I was dead when Daniel got in bed…."

Chuck nodded. "Same." He glanced at the ring on her finger. "So what does Daniel do for a living?" he asked kindly.

"He has a business degree like me, but….I don't know…..He wants to invest dad's fortune, and I'm not sure how I feel about that….." Sarah admitted uneasily. "But I'm here to clear my mind…..figure out what I'm going to do."

"And I ruined those plans?" Chuck guessed with a smile.

"You made this a real vacation, Chuck." She smiled at him, as the two glanced into each other's eyes.

Chuck glanced out ahead onto the shore. He immediately remembered all the times he'd gone with Sarah to the beach, ditching the evil Ms. K's class.

"Do you remember the time-"

"We went to the beach and I got a burn the size of a beach ball on my back?" Sarah finished with a grin. They were on the exact same wave length apparently.

"Remember, we told all the teachers you had a skin problem so they wouldn't mark us off for ditching?" Chuck grinned.

Sarah rolled her eyes. "No wonder I was such a dork there."

"You were absolutely NOT a dork." Chuck protested kindly. "I was dating the hottest girl in senior class."

"Heather Chandler?" Sarah teased.

"Oh, yeah right. If only she knew how much you looked like a supermodel now." He smirked.

Sarah blushed, and Chuck immediately realized his words, slightly embarrassed.

"So you like the blonde?" She asked gently, a smile on her flawless face.

"Sarah, you're gorgeous." He smiled kindly.

Sarah blushed, shaking her head modestly. Inside, her heart was fluttering. He STILL did that to her. It was unbelievable.

Chuck grinned. "Heather Chandler can kiss your Zork playing ass." He quipped. Sarah immediately remembered ditching on that exact day with Chuck.

"Oh m god, you really remember everything…" she grinned.

"How could I Sarah…? You're kind of unforgettable."

**A/N: So, now you see the kind of tone this story will take. I will try my best to make any angst minimal, and keep the Charah awesomeness alive, I promise. So, if you're interested in Beta-ing, feel free to PM me. If you enjoyed, why not take a second or two out of your day to leave a review and let me know what you guys thought? Thanks a million for reading/reviewing. You guys are awesome. Have a good one, as always. **

**-LLC**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Okay, I'm so sorry it's been….a little over a month since I've updated this, and I'm hoping all the fans of this one are still out there. Anyway, the reviews on this one are amazing. I know it's a bit of an angst situation, and everyone hates Shaw, but if you really can't stand it, maybe this isn't the story for you, because no miracle will occur immediately. Anyways, I just wanted to say a huge thank you to all who read and reviewed, and even PM'd me about this one, it's a great feeling. **

**Chapter Three: **

"Oh my god….I can't believe we're doing this…" Sarah grinned, sitting beside Chuck at a table in the lobby, his laptop connected to the wall beside them.

"I just can't believe the school was high tech enough to actually scan and upload the class pictures up on their new site…" Chuck smiled cheekily.

"Well, they must be hell-bent on getting us all together for a reunion, then." Sarah replied, watching as his hands typed so deftly and skillfully, as if they were simply hovering over the keyboard.

Chuck glanced up at her, and caught her staring at him typing. Smirking, he decided to jog her memory. "Well…" he sighed, never stopping his hands. "Looks like someone didn't learn anything from Mr. Garret's typing class…."

"It was lame!" Sarah protested. "Who picks _typing_ as an elective?"

"Um…..we did?" Chuck supplied happily.

"I only went because I wanted to be with you." She pointed out, suddenly realizing what she was saying. That familiar fluttering feeling hit her stomach again.

"How else could I have introduced you to Zork?" Chuck immediately changed the subject, Sarah sighing gratefully.

"Right….that made me a hell of a lot cooler…" Sarah rolled her eyes playfully.

"It did." Chuck quipped, locating their graduation pictures. "Take a look, Walker."

Sarah's eyes fell upon her past self. She looked younger, with her brown hair. She did look dorkier, but she still held the beautiful quality she had today. Chuck was simply staring at her picture.

"Wow….." Chuck breathed a small smile on his face.

"Can we please see yours now?" Sarah asked like her past, slightly impatient self. She hated being mocked.

"Sarah…" Chuck rolled his eyes. "Would you shut up? What does a guy have to do around here to let a girl know she is and was drop dead gorgeous…..."

Sarah's heart raced, and she felt as if she were on cloud nine, yet again.

"Buy her a mirror?" Came a deeper, smooth voice. The two wheeled around, seeing Shaw up and clean, wearing a business suit. His hair was slicked back and he had the manly scent of cologne radiating from him.

"Good morning, Daniel…" Sarah offered a smile, as he kissed her.

Chuck fought the urge to throw his laptop to the floor.

"I'm going to be out all day, over at the conference. It's not too far from here." Daniel explained. "Are you coming?"

"Actually, Chuck and I were just going to reminisce and hang around here…" Sarah explained.

Before Shaw could respond, another voice sounded. "Chuck, Daniel's going to take me and show me the ropes, so that maybe we can finally get a business going, alright?" Jill appeared beside them, cleaned and ready as well.

Chuck always knew Jill had an interest in the whole entrepreneur/ investing scene, but to actually go and sit through some conference with somewhat of a stranger? It struck him as a little odd. However, seeing an unfamiliar spark in Jill's eye, he wanted her to have fun on the vacation too.

"Alright babe, see you in a little while then." Chuck replied, as the two shared a kiss for a moment.

"Let's go, or we'll be late." Shaw told her, slipping on his shades before stepping out to the car.

Chuck sat back down with Sarah, watching them leave. "Well, at least we can safely say they're over the awkward ex stage." He grinned.

Sarah laughed, leaning against him. "Doesn't mean you're off the hook, Bartowski. Yearbook picture…..now."

"Yes ma'am." He chuckled, bringing up his.

**-0-**

Daniel Shaw was alone for the time being, safely away from anyone's ears. It was the perfect time to return his co worker's call.

"Larkin." A voice on the other end answered, as if he'd been expecting the call the whole time.

"It's Shaw." Daniel replied, knowing what was coming next.

"I know, I have caller ID, dumbass." Bryce retorted, seeming quite impatient.

"Did I catch you in the middle of something?" Shaw snorted, clearly irritated.

Bryce glanced at the girl on his bed. "Yeah, so make it quick."

"Look, we may have a slight problem with grabbing Walker's account and cash…"

"What?" Bryce sounded as if he'd been slapped. "What is it?"

"Not it, per se, but he."

"You mean Walker's got another guy?" Bryce asked, clearly frustrated. "You two are engaged for the love of god!"

"Well…. It's an old friend of hers….she's got feelings for him….more than me anyway."

"Oh, boo hoo. Suck it up, Shaw. I don't give a rat's ass about your feelings!"

Shaw smirked. "You and I both know I don't care about that. It's just…..what do you want me to do? Get rid of him?"

Bryce bit his lip, and then decided. "Okay, first, you try not to make a huge mess of this. Make him look like a jackass for her…Make her wonder what she ever saw in the poor bastard." He ordered. "And if that doesn't work…..hit me up, Shaw. I'll take care of it." He smirked and hung up.

Shaw raised a brow, and then smiled a little. This would be fun. He stowed his phone back in his pocket. He had a hot date.

**-0-**

Shaw had proposed that the entire gang meet and go out for dinner at one of the hotel's many restaurants, his treat.

Chuck and Sarah split to get ready in formal attire, as it was supposedly a very classy place.

Jill observed as Chuck got dressed in his suit. He looked very nervous. Maybe he was beginning to get suspicious? No. She shook the thought from her head, putting on her lipstick.

"Ready babe?" She called, doing the finishing touches.

"Honestly…..no." Chuck replied with a semi humorous tone. "But we'll be late if we don't leave now."

Jill watched in awe as Chuck turned. He looked slick in his suit, with his hair somehow arranged nicely. He looked like a million bucks.

"Wow Chuck." She smirked. "Looks like someone's trying to impress."

"Is it working?" He teased. Laughing, they left their room.

Chuck and Jill barely made it into the restaurant before Chuck literally froze on the spot, eyes widening as he caught sight of the gorgeous blonde before him.

"Oh. My. Sarah." He breathed, watching her smile shyly over at him.

Jill greeted her normally then brushed past her to sit at the table, where Shaw was waiting.

Sarah approached, a blush already on her cheeks, heart hammering. '_I hope he likes it…'_she thought to herself, stopping.

Chuck managed a goofy smile, like he used to do. He watched as she approached in a beautiful red dress, makeup set to match her outfit perfectly.

"Hey….Woah….You look….Woah." Chuck tried to speak, apparently failing. Sarah laughed, a blush rising on her cheeks.

"Is woah a good thing?" she teased.

"Oh…..god, yes." Chuck saved himself, as the two exchanged a semi awkward hug.

Sarah took a step back afterwards, then chuckled.

Chuck immediately began to freak out. "What? What happened?" he thought of all the possibilities that could've gone wrong in that split second.

Sarah smiled and waved his worries away with a graceful hand motion. Taking a step toward him, she reached out to fix his tie, like she always did for him in high school.

Chuck immediately, out of habit, reached for Sarah's arm that was on it's way back to her side after fixing his tie.

Her breath hitching at his touch, the shock emanating from his mere gesture. Chuck immediately felt the same spark too, dropping her hand at once.

The two stared into each other's eyes for what seemed like hours, but was only, in reality, about a few seconds.

At the exact same time, the two spoke. "Uh….let's go." And they quickly retreated to the side of their "significant others".

This was going to be an awkward dinner.

**A/N: So, tension and heat begins to rise. Please, let me know how you liked it! I am currently working on Taking Risks, and the next chapter of this should be posted as well, with my new beta, UKChuckster! Thanks a million for reading and reviewing, and as always….Have a great one, guys. **

**-LLC **


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Well, thanks so much for the awesome amount of reviews on this one, which seems to beat Hardly Working to a pulp. Hope you guys enjoy the next little installment, and there's a new "Hardly Working" up if you're interested. Enjoy. **

**Chapter Four: **

Dinner was awkward. It mainly consisted of small talk, while Chuck and Sarah ended up staring at each other, getting caught more often than not.

Shaw, however, was content with his plan to make himself shine beside the lame Chuck, who'd so far captured Sarah's attention.

Shaw leaned over, putting an arm around the back of Sarah's chair. Jill seemed to look away for a moment, while Chuck kept his food down somehow.

"So, Chuck." Shaw smiled lazily. "How long have you two lovebirds been together?"

"Hmm? Oh, High school, uh, ah college, I mean." He suddenly remembered he wasn't dating Sarah anymore.

"Right…." Shaw nodded, Sarah a little unhappy with the conversation.

"And you two?" Jill supplied, doubting Chuck's ability to speak.

"Us? College too." Shaw took his chance to gloat cockily. "I remember the first time I saw her at Harvard…..I rescued her from a bad date with the jocks."

Before Sarah could voice her opinion, Chuck jumped in. "Really? I could peg you as a jock." He couldn't believe what he'd just said.

Shaw laughed, playing it cool. "Well, it's a good thing I didn't. Maybe I wouldn't be _engaged_ to Sarah here…." He smirked, placing a kiss on her cheek. Sarah immediately jumped to change the subject.

"How about you guys?" She queried.

Jill smiled and Chuck mirrored her action. "I met her at my friend's kegger." He laughed. "She and I were the only ones worried about tomorrow's test, so we ended up chilling in the corner and studying." He laughed. "It was lame, but good luck I guess."

Jill smiled fondly at the memory, though not for long. Something about it felt very wrong now.

"Of course, I still remember High School with Sarah like it was yesterday." Chuck grinned, meeting Sarah's beautiful blue eyes.

Sarah smiled, grateful he'd brought the subject back to something they were both comfortable with; an unspoken bond.

"Hey, why don't we all hit the beach tomorrow?" Shaw suggested with a smirk, thinking only of his rich fiancé in a bikini. "It'll be fun."

"We'd go." Jill agreed.

"Alright then." Shaw got his credit card back from the waiter with a smile. "It's settled. See you tomorrow then."

The couples said their good byes and headed out, each tired from the day's challenges.

**-0-**

The late morning sun was warm, and it baked the sand to a comfortably warm temperature, as Chuck soon discovered. He'd been told by Shaw that Sarah was already down and out, and Jill advised him to go get some chairs while she got ready.

Whistling some old tune, Chuck stepped out to the sand, setting his things down on two available chairs. Glancing around, his eyes scanned the vast beach for a certain gorgeous blonde, but he came up empty.

Frowning, he lifted off his shirt, hoping to dive in. Just as his eyes reconnected with the ocean, he saw a beautiful sight. Sarah had risen, walking out of the water in her blue bikini, her wet blonde hair down her back in a smooth motion. She blinked drops away from her eyelashes, smiling at the sight of Chuck. Approaching him, Chuck felt as if it were all in slow motion like the movies.

"S….Sara…..Sarah, wow, I mean….Hi! Good morning, it's kind of warm, huh?" He rambled unsurely, unaware that Sarah had the same reaction towards his toned chest. With out Zork, he'd made time to work out a little bit more. Now, it sure as hell paid off.

Laughing, Sarah took a seat beside him, wringing her wet hair onto the sand. "Wow yourself, nerd."

Chuck smiled, grateful that she'd reacted coolly to his failed to catch the blush on her cheeks upon seeing him though.

"Looks like life with out me and Zork treated you well…." She teased.

"With out Zork….yes. But you? It was probably the worst thing that's ever happened to me, Sarah." He replied seriously.

Sarah suddenly felt short of breath. "I know, I-"

"Hey guys." Jill smiled, taking a seat on the chair across from them. "Daniel needs a hand grabbing our beers from the little bar over there, I'm gonna be right back." She informed them.

Chuck nodded while Sarah smiled and thanked her, leaning back.

"Chuck?" Sarah finally asked.

"Uh, yeah?" he replied.

"Can you get my back?" she handed him the bottle of lotion, as nervous as he was.

"Huh? Oh, sure, of course." He replied a little too fast. Sarah laughed.

"Chuck…"

'Yes?"

"Relax…." She tried to as well, but his hands….they were just as gentle as she remembered.

He zoned out a little, massaging her back probably more than he should have. Sarah let out an appreciative groan, but the two were startled by Shaw's voice.

"Alright guys." He smiled, as of he were totally oblivious. "Here you go." He handed them each a bottle, taking a seat.

Jill took off her over clothes, revealing her bikini clad, tan body. The only two who noticed were Sarah and Shaw, one out of lust and the other with mild jealousy and guardedness.

Shaw managed to regain his consciousness and focused back on his even hotter fiancée, who was once again entranced with the nerd. Shaking his head, he spoke to shake them back to reality. Clearly, the dork didn't get it. It was time he rubbed it in a little.

Rising, he wrapped his arms around Sarah, who watched him in surprise. "Can you get my back, babe?" She actually rolled her eyes. Chuck smiled. His Sarah was still there; she was nobody's "babe".

"Oh, sure." Sarah sighed, figuring she'd get some time alone with Chuck in a little while.

**-0-**

It wasn't till late afternoon that Sarah had found Chuck alone, sitting, hugging his knees, and staring out into the ocean, the sun tauntingly hanging above it.

"Hey." She said with a soft smile, taking a seat beside him. "You okay? You left everyone in a hurry."

"Hmm?" he gave her an absent smile, the ones she cherished so dearly. "Yeah, I just like to think to myself sometimes."

Sarah made a motion to leave. "Oh, sorry-"

"-you know _you're_ always an exception, Sarah." He told her warmly, gently bumping her shoulder. She felt some odd feeling then. The best way to describe it was a warm chill, as crazy as it sounded. It gave her Goosebumps, and yet it spread through her like a wildfire.

"So." Sarah sighed, hoping her voice didn't sound as unsteady as it felt. "What are you thinking about?"

"Everything." He replied calmly, eyes finding the sun slowly beginning to set. "Us."

Sarah felt her heart rate speed up. "What about us?"

"What happens next, Sarah?" he asked quietly. The beach was deserted, but quiet felt right. "When this little joy ride is over?"

"Chuck, I-"

"-think about it. We lost each other for nine years." Sarah remembered vividly. She didn't lose her childhood friend….she lost her high school sweet heart, her family, her better half…..It was hard.

"Well, that won't happen again." She stated with some confidence. "You're in Burbank now, right?"

"Well, yeah, but-"

"I'll go there, if that's what it takes."

"You mean live there?" he asked, shocked.

"Sure…." She shrugged. "If Daniel cares, he'll follow me….."

Chuck didn't want to tread on that particularly thin sheet of ice with her at that very moment. "Sarah, I don't want you to wreck everything you've set yourself up for in the past nine years." He shook his head, unwilling to let her ruin her plans.

"Chuck, what life?" she sighed. "My parents hauled me away, I got lucky enough to go to Harvard, and that was it. I've got my degree in business, and that's _everywhere,_ Chuck. My family…..well, it's complicated."

"I hear you." Chuck replied, glancing into her eyes. "What happened?"

"I haven't seen my father in nearly seven years, Chuck." She admitted, his face displaying utter sorrow and shock.

"Oh god, Sarah, what happened?" He cried.

"He's been AWOL for a long time….he left me his fortune….our dads' fortune." She corrected. "Then he left, and I haven't heard from him since."

Chuck put his arms around her comfortingly, hugging her closely just like he always used to. Sarah found solace yet again in his arms.

"Chuck…" she began, as the two slowly pulled apart. "The money, I can get it to you-"

"-Sarah." Chuck cut her off. "Consider it all yours. You deserve it, and I want you to have it all. Do whatever you want with it, okay?" he wouldn't let her argue.

Sarah sighed. He was selfless, caring, kind…..just like he always had been.

"We'll figure this out." She promised, leaning against him as she watched the sun set, setting the ocean on fire with an orangey glow. "One bridge at a time."

**A/N: Slightly heavier chapter, hope it wasn't too bad. Anyway, thanks a million for reading and reviewing, I look forward to hearing your opinions. As always, have a great one, guys. **

**-LLC**


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